Mine car topping gate



2A Sheets-Sheet l Sept.` 8, 1953 A. cAsclANo MINE: rCAR TOPPING GATE: Filed May 24, 1951 Sept. 8, 1953 A. cAsclANo MINE CAR TOPPING GATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1951 E Q Nh [N VENTOR. c'z'a/z o,

ATTCIRNEYS Patented Sept. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,651,268 MINE CAR TOPPING GATE Anthony Casciano, Scranton, Pa. Application May 24, 1951, Serial No. 228,012 '4 claims. (C1. 10s-379) This invention relates tomine'cars of the type used for carrying coal, ore and the like from the mining operation to the shaft, and vin particular to a plurality of hinged upwardly extended gates positioned on the upper edges of the ends andl side walls of a minecarfor retaining the topping coal on the mine car. y

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for adding additional height to the side walls and ends of a mine car for retaining top-V ping coal on the car and preventing waste due to the loss of the topping coal in shipping the car from the mining operation to the shaft.

In the conventional method of .loading mine cars it is necessary to fill the car withV topping coal or ore to points substantially six inches above the top of the car and some of this coal is lost in shipping the car from the miningoperation to the shaft. For this reason, where the company requires six inches of topping at the shaft it is necessary for the miner to load from ten to twelve inches of topping coal at the operation point. With this thought in mind this invention.

contemplates the use of hinged gates on the sides and ends of a mine car and means for temporarily holding the gates in .upwardly extended positions whereby the topping coal is retained in position upon the mine car as the car Ytravels from the mining operationto the shaft.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for extending the'heightof the side walls and ends of a mining car so that topping coal may be retained thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for attaching hinged extensions to the upper edges of side walls and ends of a mine car that may be mounted on cars now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mine car having upwardly extended gates hinged to the sides and ends in whichv the gates are of a comparatively simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies longitudinally disposed panels hinged to the top edges of the side walls of a mine car, a similar panel hinged to the rear end of the car and a panel hinged by a continuous rod or bolt to the forward endof the car and the ends of each of the panels are provided with straps having hubs on extended ends thereof whereby pins secured to the side panels by chains may be inserted through the hubs of the straps for holdingvthe panels or gates in upright positions, and also in downwardly" folded positions.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a mine car showing the topping gates of this invention` in upwardly extended positions on the upper edge of the car.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view looking toward the front of the mine car also showing 'the topping` gates extended upwardlyand with the lower part of the car broken away.

Figure 8 is a plan View of the mine carV shown in Figure 1 illustrating the relative positions of the upwardly extended gates. Y

Figure 4 is a detail showing a rear elevational view of the upper endof the mine car with the gate on the rear end wall of the car extendedV upwardly.

Figure 5 is a detail showing an elevational view of one corner of the mine car with the gates secured in downwardly disposed positions.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the mine car attachmentof this invention includes topping gates I0 and II positioned on side walls I2 and I3 of a mine car I4, an end gate I5 positioned on an end wall I6 of the car and a front gate I'I hinged to the upper edge of the front wall i8 by straps I9 and 20 mounted on the gate II and straps 2|, 22 and 23 mounted on thex end wall I8 and with the straps hingedly con-- nected by a bolt or rod 24 extended through eyes; in the ends of the straps, as shown in Figure 2.- The rod 24 is also held in bearings 25 and 26 oni the end wall of the car. By this means the fronti gate I1 may be positioned above the ends of doors in the front of the car and when the gates aredropped to the lower position the front gate I'I` is not secured to the gates at the sides as it is desired to have the front gate free to swing when the car is emptied.

The side gates IIJ and II and also the back, gate I5 are hinged to the upper edges of the side walls and rear end of the car by strap hinges 21 the mounting plates of which are secured on the upper edges of the side walls and ends and the straps 29, of which extend upwardly reinforcing the panels or gates, as shown by the dotted line in Figure 4. It will be understood that hinges of` any suitable type may be used. k

The side gate I 0 islprovided with straps 30 and 3I and the gate i I is provided with similar straps 32 and 33 whereby hubs, as indicated by the nu meral 34 on the ends of the straps are positioned to coact with crresponding hubs 35` on the ends of straps 36 and 31 on the front gate I1 and 38 and 39 on the rear gate i6 so that the pins 40 having eyes 4I on the upper ends and secured to the side panels or gates by chains 42 may extend through the hub for holding the gates in upwardly extended positions or in lower positions as may be desired.

With the parts arranged in this manner and with the lower edges of the panels notched to clear bolt heads and other obstructions on the upper surfaces of the edges of the side walls and ends of the mine car the panels are adapted to fold downwardly to positions on the sides of the members upon which they are mounted whereby the pins 40 may extend through the hubsllfandi 35 to secure the parts in the downwardly extended position, and when it is desired tense topping gates the gates are extended upwardlyas shown in the drawing whereby the pins 40 also extend through the hubs 34 and 35, as shown. By this means the sarne pins hold the plates or panels in upwardly extended positions or in positions where the gates are nested against the outer surfaces of the side walls and ends. It is preferred to omit the pin in the front vgate H 'with the gate folded `downward-ly so thatthe front gate may swing outwardly to facilitate dum-ping vir-emptying the mine car.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from .the vspirit of the invention.

What isclaimed is:

1. A mine car toppingiframe comprising amine car having side rand end walls, gates, butt hinges having hinge plates pivotauy connected with pins positioned with one` of Vsaid -plates securedto the upper edges of said side walls and to Vthe upperedge ofone of said end walls, and .another of said Ahinge plates being secured to edges -o'i said gates whereby the gates, selectively extend upwardly from the Vupperfedges of .therside 'and end walls or nest against 'the outer suracesoi said walls, straps having hubs-onextended Vends thereof positionedon the ends oilfthersaid gates,

and pins flexibly "connected to the `said side walls and positioned to extend through 'the :hubs of' thev straps for retaining the-said gates -in -upwardly extended 'positions yand also in down-v wardly folded positions.

-2. -Amineeartoppmg frame eomprisingfa Vmine carhaving-side and-end walls, gates, buttrhingeshaving hinge plates pivotally connected with pins positioned with one of said Cplates secured to the upper-edgesofsaid side walls'andtothe. upper edge of oneofsaidendwalls, and another of said hinge plates beingsecured to edgesof said gates whereby. the gates, selectively :extend upwardly from the upper edges of the side--and end walls ornest against the ,outer surfaces .of

said walls, straps having hubs on extendedendsthereof positioned on the ends of thesaid gates, and pins iiexibly connected to thesaid-side kwalls and positioned to extend through the hubspoi the straps for `retaining the said gates nippwardly extended -positions and, Aalso in down-1 wardly folded positions, said straps "being positioned .whereby 4thehubs on the extendedends thereof are alignedvertically withnthe.gates-*enf tended upwardly or .folded downwardly.

3. In a mine car, vthe combinationwhich .comprises'acar body having sideand end f-walls, longitudinally disposed panels positioned on. the said 4side wallsJ of' the car' body, and transversely disposed panels positioned on the end 'wallat 4 the rear end of the car body, hinges extended across the panels and secured to the upper edges of the side walls and rear end of the car body for hingedly connecting the said panels to the side walls and one end of the car body, a panel extended upwardly on the upper edge of the front wall of the car body, straps having hubs on the lower ends mounted on the panels extended upwardly from the vfront wall of the car body, straps having hubsonlthe upper end positioned on the front wall ofthe car body, the hubs of the straps on the front wall and panel extended upwardly from the upper edge of the said front Wall being aligned and positioned in abutting relation to prevent lateral play of the said panel theupper edge of the front wall, a rod extended-through the hubs of the straps of the front wall and panel on the front wall providing ahlinge, and straps having hubs on extended ends thereof extended .from the ends of the panels .and positioned vwith hubs of the side panels aligned vwith .hubs of Athe panels on the end; walls, pins extended through the hubs of the straps,v andl chains connecting the pins to thepanels.`

4. Ein a mine eanthe .combination which comprises a car body having side and end walls, longitudinally disposed' panels positioned on the said side walls of the .car body, transversely ,disposed panel-positioned `on the end wall at .the rear end of the .car body',hinges. extended .-across the panelsandisecuredto the upper edges of the side wallsv and frear fend of the .car body for hingedly'fconnectng Vthe-.said panels :to the side walls'and'rend ofthecarbody, -a panel extended upwardly on :the lupperwedge .of the front wall of 'the' caribody; Strapsfhaving Vhubs 4on -the'lower ends.mounted .on the panel Yextended .upwardly from theifrontvwallof'ithe carzbody, straps having :hubs on thev upper ends positioned on the front wall Vdf `the-.car body, the hubsof vthe straps on the front wall and panel extended upwardly from .thetupp'er edge :of :the said front wall being aligned `and :positioned 'in abutting .relation to prevent .lateral eplay :of -:the said panel in the upper zedgefof-the ffront wall, :a rod extended through; the ihubs fof the istraps of 'the front Y wall and panel :on the "frontrwall providing a hinge,

and straps having hubs on-l extended endsthereofr extended 'from :..the :ends s of the I panels and `positioned` with vhubs :of the side panels -aligned with hubs .of'ithe panels. .on Vthe end walls, pins extended through th-e 'hubs of vthe straps, and chainsl connecting the :pins to the panels, said straps extended :from :the ends of the panels positioned-"whereby f-thezfhubs of the panels ofl the side .walls l are .aligned with the 1 hubs `of the panels of'ithe; frontrand; rear walls with the panels extended :upwardly-"and also with :the panels folded :downwardly whereby thel I pins retain the panels;iniupwardlyfextended positions and also in folded position against the sides and endsof the .can-.body

lReferences- Cited ltr-the le ofthis patent .UNITED .STATES PATENTS 

